Forgive my student loan!

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Yeah, taxes pay for it. Somewhere down the line our country decided it was better to spend money on things like educating the future generation and free healthcare than wars n stuff. Can't say I disagree.
Especially since, in the current economic climate, not everyone can "work through college", because there's something like 5 unemployed people for every 1 open job. And unemployed doesn't even include students I have friends down south in England that are just like joining the army n **** because the tuition fees for uni are too high, and there are no jobs, and they don't wanna live on benefits forever.

I'll be paying off my loan that covered rent, books, food, etc etc, but we don't pay that back until we're actually earning enough to pay it back - £20,000 a year I think.

Remember, people that go to Uni earn more in later life - and therefore pay more taxes.
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Being Scotland is part of the EU wouldn't they have to afford the same free rate to students from other EU countries that probably won't stay in Scotland where salaries are lower than in Great Brittan, or even Scottish born citizens that want to leave after college for cheaper tax rates and higher salaries... therefore dumping their university fees on Scotland tax payers like you?? Maybe the USA system isn't the greatest but it does hold people accountable.

I don't agree with it. I went to a private university and graduated with $40K in debt. I had no help from my parents or anyone else. I paid my own way with scholarships, loans, and work study/internships and paid it all off within 3 years of graduation. For me, it just doesn't seem fair that I worked my *kitten* off to pay my debt off (finished in 2011, graduated in 2008) and other people would just get their debt taken away. Just how I feel about it.

Consider the following by Richard Lavoie

"That's not fair!"

Similar phrases are repeated time and again. The juggling of "fairness" and "equality" presents a never-ending conundrum, and few of us realize that these concepts are not synonymous ...in fact, they are often total opposites. The classic work in moral development conducted by Laurence Kohlberg at Harvard University indicates that children, in their initial stages of moral development, define "fairness" thusly:

"Fairness means that everyone gets the same."

Unfortunately, many adults believe that the above definition is a true and accurate one. Consider: If you think that it is not fair that someone received something that you did not, you should understand that you are applying the concept of "fairness" at the level of a 7- or 8-year-old child.

In actuality, the definition of fairness has little to do with treating people in an identical manner. The true definition of fairness is:

"Fairness means that everyone gets what he or she needs."


Consider the following analogy: The readership of the Quarterboard is 5,000 families. Suppose a magnanimous philanthropist were to give us a grant of $5 million and asked that the funds be distributed equally to the readership. Each family would receive a check for $1,000. That's easy. However, if he were to request that the funds be divided fairly among the readership, that would require a far more complex and diverse distribution. We would be bound to consider the financial needs of each member's family. Suppose one family had a chronically ill child and limited financial resources were postponing much-needed therapy for the youngster. Fairness would dictate that the family would receive a disproportionate amount of the donated funds. Fairness and equality are not synonymous.

It doesn't seem fair that I paid for my education and now you want me to help pay for yours? My kids paid for their educations with help from their employers. Why didn't you try that route? Sounds like poor planning to me.

Honestly, college is a lot more expensive now than it was whenever I assume that you went...unless you went back to school recently.

There is absolutely no way that I could afford to fully support myself financially and go to the school that I do without my job, my loans, my scholarship, and my grants. It just wouldn't be happening.

She's write. I went to school worked a part time job and walmart and a full time job at an insurance company. AND.. What do you now. I still Have 50,000 in school loans that I pay monthly. To be honest. I would much rather my tax money go to helping people pay for eduction than to help welfare who dont want to get out and work. I know there are some that cant. But if they can work they should be working.

I worked a full and part time job out of school to pay student loan debt and live and that was 20 years ago. Boo hoo. Pay your debt.

t costs WAY more to go to school now than it did 20 years ago... So I don't see what point you're trying to make with that comment?

Yeah, taxes pay for it. Somewhere down the line our country decided it was better to spend money on things like educating the future generation and free healthcare than wars n stuff. Can't say I disagree.
Especially since, in the current economic climate, not everyone can "work through college", because there's something like 5 unemployed people for every 1 open job. And unemployed doesn't even include students I have friends down south in England that are just like joining the army n **** because the tuition fees for uni are too high, and there are no jobs, and they don't wanna live on benefits forever.

I'll be paying off my loan that covered rent, books, food, etc etc, but we don't pay that back until we're actually earning enough to pay it back - £20,000 a year I think.

Remember, people that go to Uni earn more in later life - and therefore pay more taxes.

Being Scotland is part of the EU wouldn't they have to afford the same free rate to students from other EU countries that probably won't stay in Scotland where salaries are lower than in Great Brittan, or even Scottish born citizens that want to leave after college for cheaper tax rates and higher salaries... therefore dumping their university fees on Scotland tax payers like you?? Maybe the USA system isn't the greatest but it does hold people accountable.

We have an equal number of people coming into the country to work as we do leaving the country.
We want our kids educated in this country, and people are willing to pay the price for that - or we wouldn't vote for governments that promise to keep free tuition!

There aren't any jobs just now, if we didn't have the kids in University they'd be sitting about on benefits funded by the tax payer anyway. We might as educate them in the mean time! It's only the tuition that's paid for btw - still have to pay for student halls, food, books etc etc I think there might be a graduation fee as well when I think about it.

Also, hard to take you seriously when you can't spell Great Britain.

So if there aren't any jobs right now, wouldn't it be all the more appealing to take your free degree and go someplace you can get a job? Leaving someone else to foot the bill?

It's easy for you to point out small things like a spelling error when your points are getting demolished.

Yeah, taxes pay for it. Somewhere down the line our country decided it was better to spend money on things like educating the future generation and free healthcare than wars n stuff. Can't say I disagree.
Especially since, in the current economic climate, not everyone can "work through college", because there's something like 5 unemployed people for every 1 open job. And unemployed doesn't even include students I have friends down south in England that are just like joining the army n **** because the tuition fees for uni are too high, and there are no jobs, and they don't wanna live on benefits forever.

I'll be paying off my loan that covered rent, books, food, etc etc, but we don't pay that back until we're actually earning enough to pay it back - £20,000 a year I think.

Remember, people that go to Uni earn more in later life - and therefore pay more taxes.

Being Scotland is part of the EU wouldn't they have to afford the same free rate to students from other EU countries that probably won't stay in Scotland where salaries are lower than in Great Brittan, or even Scottish born citizens that want to leave after college for cheaper tax rates and higher salaries... therefore dumping their university fees on Scotland tax payers like you?? Maybe the USA system isn't the greatest but it does hold people accountable.

We have an equal number of people coming into the country to work as we do leaving the country.
We want our kids educated in this country, and people are willing to pay the price for that - or we wouldn't vote for governments that promise to keep free tuition!

There aren't any jobs just now, if we didn't have the kids in University they'd be sitting about on benefits funded by the tax payer anyway. We might as educate them in the mean time! It's only the tuition that's paid for btw - still have to pay for student halls, food, books etc etc I think there might be a graduation fee as well when I think about it.

Also, hard to take you seriously when you can't spell Great Britain.

So if there aren't any jobs right now, wouldn't it be all the more appealing to take your free degree and go someplace you can get a job? Leaving someone else to foot the bill?

It's easy for you to point out small things like a spelling error when your points are getting demolished.

Um, I don't see how my points are getting demolished?
There aren't a lot of jobs anywhere just now, and as I said in that post, currently there are as many people coming into the UK to work as there are leaving, according to Gordon Brown, so it evens out. For every European that leaves here to use their degree elsewhere, there's a doctor qualified in India that decides to come work here etc etc

My statement about people leaving/coming to the country is backed up by the last prime minister btw, whereas yours was pure speculation.

http://signon.org/sign/support-the-student-loan?source=mo&id=39566-22752485-mX83l7x

Sign the petition!

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!

I worked my way through college to avoid taking on debt. You borrow money, you pay it back. You don't want that obligation, then don't take the money.

By the time I finished college I only owed $550.00. I worked my butt off to not be in debt.

And looking at the age listed on your profile (51), that explains a lot. Try graduating with only $550 in debt NOW. That's the price of ONE class at my school, and that's IF you have in-state tuition (which I do).

I think your age argument is a little silly. I paid 200 per credit 25 years ago or 600 per class. I just sucked it up and worked to minimize my debt. After rent, food, and school expenses I still ended with 15k owed.

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!

I worked my way through college to avoid taking on debt. You borrow money, you pay it back. You don't want that obligation, then don't take the money.

By the time I finished college I only owed $550.00. I worked my butt off to not be in debt.

And looking at the age listed on your profile (51), that explains a lot. Try graduating with only $550 in debt NOW. That's the price of ONE class at my school, and that's IF you have in-state tuition (which I do).

Take a class in Economics too while you are at it. No. Seriously.

30 years ago wages were far far lower then they are today. The cost of college 30 years ago was far less unattainable then it is today.

Yes, my Math class and lab we in state at a combined cost of 600$ (not including books and equipment) - but, 30 years ago when my mom went to a community college, her costs were much more - IF you take into account that she was only making 3.00/hour at her job, and her interest rats on her loans were MORE then they are today.

When I graduate, I will PROUDLY be debt free.

I wasn't able to take classes this semester because I couldn't afford it. So, I'm working extra overtime and odd jobs and babysitting friends kids to make extra money so that next semester I can.

It is entirely possible to graduate college with no debt.

I'm glad that you are graduating debt free. That is great. But while median incomes since 1988 have remained relatively the same, tuition fees and expenses for public universities have gone up 130% according to the 2008 survey. It is a fact that tuition is outstripping income growth in the US.

ETA: I am not for the debt to be forgiven but I do see that education is increasingly becoming unobtainable for the lower class in this country. That is not a good thing considering that more educated societies are more prosperous.

To everyone saying "Not everybody can work through college to pay off their debt and graduate without a lot." Why can't you?

Seriously, since I was old enough to legally work (and before), I've not been without a job for more than 3 months. I worked in high school. I worked in college. When I dropped out, I started paying the loans I had and still kept working. I'm back now, not deferring loans, still paying on back loans, working and paying what I'm accruing as well. How are you NOT ABLE to work and pay towards stuff while you're in college?

To everyone saying "Not everybody can work through college to pay off their debt and graduate without a lot." Why can't you?

Seriously, since I was old enough to legally work (and before), I've not been without a job for more than 3 months. I worked in high school. I worked in college. When I dropped out, I started paying the loans I had and still kept working. I'm back now, not deferring loans, still paying on back loans, working and paying what I'm accruing as well. How are you NOT ABLE to work and pay towards stuff while you're in college?

It depends on where you go to school. My university was in the middle of nowhere. I worked as a bar back, I delivered pizzas and I worked in the kitchens. I also worked all summer every summer and I made no where near enough to pay for my education. I was fortunate to have parents that agreed before they had kids that no matter what, their kids would have a college education because creditors can't take that away from you.

BOOTSTRAPS AMURIKA FREEDOM JESUS

This may not be the way to fix our ****ed up education system, but stop acting like it's not ****ed up because "I did it!"

first step to solving a problem is admitting it exists.
Proud to be Amerkin

Borrow money, pay it back. People need to be more responsible. Why is ok to walk away from debt and start over again?

If you wonder why this country can't manage its debt, look to the rampant irresponsibility of its people. GIMME GIMME GIMME, I deserve it, I want it now.

I borrowed a helluva lot for college and grad school, and paid it all back -- last payment was the week before my 40th birthday. I was grateful that I received help to go to school; I don't think anyone owed me that, and I was happy to pay it back.

Ya, it was not always easy to pay it back, hard times happen. But you know what? If we learn to live within our means, we won't be up a creek on our obligations. Take a look back a few generations. Our grandparents were doing it right.

EDIT: for those who would argue that it costs more now than it did 20 years ago to go to school, duh. Please go back to school and borrow just a bit more so you can study economics.

i'm fine with paying back what i borrowed -- but the govt making 7.8% on loaning me money that never really existed in the first place... really? and dont get me started with sallie mae and their insane interest rates. i'm just glad i'm in a position to pay off my loans in the next... decade... unless interest rates keep going up.

I dont have a student loan. But I agree that the interest should not be so high, that is crazy. Maybe forgive the interest? Sounds good to me

i'm fine with paying back what i borrowed -- but the govt making 7.8% on loaning me money that never really existed in the first place... really? and dont get me started with sallie mae and their insane interest rates. i'm just glad i'm in a position to pay off my loans in the next... decade... unless interest rates keep going up.

I dont have a student loan. But I agree that the interest should not be so high, that is crazy. Maybe forgive the interest? Sounds good to me

There are actually bills working their way through to increase the interest.

that's crazy!
In the UK, the loans are provided by the government, and they're either interest free or it's like the minimum interest to keep up wuth inflation...

i'm fine with paying back what i borrowed -- but the govt making 7.8% on loaning me money that never really existed in the first place... really? and dont get me started with sallie mae and their insane interest rates. i'm just glad i'm in a position to pay off my loans in the next... decade... unless interest rates keep going up.

I dont have a student loan. But I agree that the interest should not be so high, that is crazy. Maybe forgive the interest? Sounds good to me

There are actually bills working their way through to increase the interest.

that's crazy!
In the UK, the loans are provided by the government, and they're either interest free or it's like the minimum interest to keep up wuth inflation...

Well, actually, after more reading it is less that they are trying to double the rate and more that if the bill to lock the interest rate is not passed, it will double.